catching up with Sean Patrick Flanery

The talented actor Sean Patrick Flanery plays ex-cop private investigator Jacob Elway, in the final season of Showtime’s Dexter. The shows premiere drew more viewers than any other to date. Next he’ll be appearing along side Vincent D’Onofrio and Thomas Jane in the movie Broken Horses, directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. And the 3rd installment of The Boondock Saints is in the works in which he’ll reprise his role Connor McManus.Read on to find out some more about this very interesting, honest and inspiring dude.

I would like to throw out some names and topics that might be of interest to you. Could you give me your thoughts on each, off the top of your head?Sure. Shoot.

Your dog DonutUnconditional love. I definitely won the doggie lottery with her. She’s my best friend.

MusicHaving a musical life is like having a steering wheel on the back of your head…you can take yourself anywhere you want to go, depending on what song you put on. I have a distinct and memorable soundtrack for every important moment in my life.

HealthI think our first and ultimate responsibility in this life is in taking care of the most valuable gift we’ve ever been given… ourselves. The most important natural resource we have is our own person. So, whatever a person claims is important to them in this life, they must first make sure that they are around to MAKE it important. There are few absolutes in life, but smoking is one of them. It will most certainly lessen both the length and quality of your life. If we are going to have kids, I think we owe it to them to make sure we are around as long as possible to oversee their upbringing and safety. Why make a decision that may ultimately cheat your child out of a few essential years with you.

SurfingThere is a certain serenity in the solitude of the open ocean that exists almost exclusively unto itself.

DexterI really think Dexter was at the forefront of the TV revolution. It’s an honor to be a part of it. It’s a well-oiled machine, with really solid writing. 20 years ago the best stuff in both writing and execution was in the theater, now it’s on Television… more specifically cable.

Michael C. Hall and Jennifer CarpenerVery cool people. They have been nice, accommodating and welcoming.

The Boondock Saints 3Troy Duffy said that he was writing BDS III a few months ago, so we’ll see!

Jack LemonHe was the holy grail to me, as far as people I wanted to work with… and I got to work with him on my very first film!! I felt really honored to share the same screen with him in the movie “The Grass Harp”. He possesses a quality of believability that I think is really rare. There’s a certain pathos behind his eyes that I think reveals absolutely everything. It’s rare, and it’s something more than an actor just wondering what his next line is. I think Beau Bridges has that same quality…honesty and a desperate magnetism in his eyes. Some people have that window completely open and it’s awesome. I think it gives an actor much more yardage than charisma alone.

Elvis PresleyHe’s the King! His kicks on stage are what sparked my interest in martial arts. I started with Tae Kwon Do when I was nine, and now I’m mainly focused on Brazilian Jui-Jitsu. I would say there is absolutely no down side to having martial arts in ones life. It enhances my life completely. I own 2 martial arts studios: dynamixmma.com and hollywoodbjj.com …If you’re in the LA area check them out.

Vidhu Vinod ChopraHe directed the movie I have coming out called Broken Horses. He’s one of India’s biggest directors…he’s basically the Steven Spielberg of India. The script and the whole experience was really great.

Norman ReedusA dear friend. My boy sat Mark McGwire down with his hellacious swing & he cracked a fast ball outta the park & over the center field fence with his role in The Walking Dead. He’s riding a one-handed wheelie with that character. Its killer. He’s Fonzie. He’s a stud.

Lauren HillShe’s the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen in person.

Los AngelesI love L.A. I can live the lifestyle I enjoy with great land, beautiful beaches, and a perpetually wonderful climate. New York is great, but I couldn’t live there. I do some of my best thinking in my car… and the subway just isn’t the same.

And you finish this sentence? I followed a girl into acting…And I haven’t had to get a job since, not in 25 years. I know what work is and acting is definitely not work. The bonus is you get paid. I’m very grateful. I’m not sure many people realize how lucky they are sometimes. I think the biggest gift you can give a child is to keep them hungry. Not so hungry that they starve, but definitely hungry enough that they’ll learn how to hunt. It’s important for kids to value something, because its rare.

Your fansI have my blog shineuntiltomorrow.com and a really nice twitter family. At the end of the day I’m an actor, the most disposable profession out there. So if I can engage in some honest discourse with fans, talk secrets and dreams, maybe help someone along the way…why not? It’s great. And I learn a lot from them too.

-Tina Turnbow, NYLON Correspondent